Dream Chaser
by He-Jay
Summary: With the blessings of their revered deities, five heroes make their way towards a major battle. But several already have another battle raging within their minds as they pursue their dreams. Did that make sense? No? ...Shoot.
1. Inside This Gloomy Mind

Because there simply aren't enough stories about Rin and Asin, are there? ;D

Requested by **Nekuro Yamikawa**

* * *

What was it about him that had alienated him so much?

No physical deformities as far as the human eye went. A slender yet fairly muscular body, average height, and his looks weren't that bad. In the real world, he'd pick up a girl with a snap of his fingers. So why was it when the villagers even saw his shadow coming their way, they hurried into their homes and slammed their doors, encouraging their offspring to taunt and reject him as they did?

Maybe it was his hair, which was the colour of eggplant blossoms, a very unusual hair colour in the village he once lived in. Or perhaps it was his eyes, which had a crafty look by default and always seemed to carry some sort of mischief behind those blood-red orbs. Maybe it was all of it, combined with the detail of him having no parents. Having suddenly appeared from nowhere, he had no father or mother to claim him. No one else wanting to take him in, the boy survived off their reluctant charity and pity.

He had once been named _Juwonai_ by the village elders, but he abhorred it when he realized what it meant, refusing to be associated with it in any way. But he had learned to mask the rage it incurred when they called him that; losing control would just give them another insult to hurl at him, among many other things.

"Mommy, did he spill grape juice on his hair?"

"Now, my sweet child, that boy is dangerous. Stay away from him!" She clutched the babe close, as if he'd suddenly turn and attack. "It is best to avoid people like that."

If the children had been taught any manners, he was probably the exception. "Hey, hey, it's him!"

"Juwonai! Juwonai!" They chanted, circling him. "Where have you been, stray dog!"

He ignored them, brushing them off as if they were nothing but a couple of fleas. But none saw the slight tremble in his hands, the fire in his eyes which were hidden away so well.

"Where are you going, Juwonai?" The leader, a rough boy who also happened to be the grandson of the Chief Elder taunted as the smaller boy disappeared in the woods. "Are you going to tell your father on us? Oh right, you don't have one!" they roared in derisive laughter. "You're a picked-up child! You _have_ no father!"

Juwonai. It meant 'abandoned child'. Child picked up from nowhere. He ran into the safe arms of the forest, shielding him from his pursuers.

* * *

"Ahh…the evil has finally been lifted. Thank you. If it weren't for you, the forest may have transformed beyond repair. If you had arrived even a moment later, the now corrupted Rukkha and I would have forever fused together as one twisted entity." She smiled as she held out her hands a bright purple light solidified into the object of their quest. The Orb of Life drifted into Rin's waiting hands, which she observed with wonder.

"It's so beautiful. And I can feel it…the power." she murmured.

"So it is, My Lady." Gaia replied with a slight curtsy. It was very extraordinary for a Goddess to humble herself before a Grand Chaser, but perhaps Rin was worthy to receive such reverence given that she, too, was a Goddess of Life and Purity. Well, the reincarnation of one anyway. "Now it is crucial to go on to the Fortress of Ascension, where the Ascendant God Thanatos resides."

Out of nowhere, the two Keepers Dark Storm and Furious Storm materialized and stood on either side of their deity. It seemed that they, too, had been freed from their corruption, as they weren't trying to gut the Chasers anymore. "My Lady, it is time that we leave." Furious Storm said, acknowledging the others with a slight inclination of her head.

"Yes, I suppose so." she sighed.

"Wait!" Amy stepped forward timidly. "What…what will happen to Rukkha?"

"Do not worry, noble Oracle." Gaia reassured, "The Holy Tree is not wholly destroyed; it shall be reborn as a pure seedling, and we shall raise it as the powerful and untainted Guardian it once was. You have our blessings." With a final smile, she and the Storms disappeared in a flash of light, leaving the five to continue their journey.

Sieghart yawned as he hefted his Soluna. "Them Gods. Always have to make a flashy show before they leave."

"Sir Sieghart, it is not nice to speak of the deities in such a discourteous way." Despite him being a tad older than she was, the Dancer chastised the Knight as if he were a wayward child. "Even with your Highlander status, with those words you risk incurring their wrath."

"Aw, don't sweat it, 'noble oracle.'" He teased, playfully tugging one of her pigtails. "We've been pals for centuries!"

Grumbling unintelligibly, she extricated her hair from his hold and took the orb from the Phoenix's hands. "We've got it. After all those battles…we finally have all the orbs."

"Yes, and we have the gods to thank for the success." Jin clasped his hands together in a brief but silent prayer. "This victory will be forever engraved in my heart."

"I am amazed that you have forgotten so soon that the gods were who we have been fighting against and defeated." He stepped down lightly, smirking. "To express gratitude to the very ones who disrupted the balance, creating a lot of hassle for others to restore, burdening others when it is supposedly their duty to uphold the world. Indeed, I_ truly _feel obliged."

"Asin! You take that back this instant!" Amy gasped, her expression a mix of astonished rage. "That is utter blasphemy!"

"Is that not the truth, pumpkin idol?" He gave a light chuckle. "And to call themselves Gods…"

"That's enough," Jin cut in, "Lady Gaia said that our next destination is the Fortress of Ascension, where Thanatos resides. There is no time to argue." Giving the Dancer's hand a reassuring squeeze, the two walked off, with Sieghart lumbering after them, whining about "overreacting kids" and "too much drama". Asin looked as they walked away, gazing intently on the redhead as if he was going to blast his head with laser vision.

"Is everything all right?" Rin quietly stepped beside, him, her wide eyes filled with innocent worry. Like many others, she only had a vague idea of the supposed 'rivalry' between Asin and Jin. Mostly because it was Asin who tried to taunt and goad Jin into a duel that the Crimson Fighter kept shaking off. But Jin was never branded for cowardice; "An honourable warrior fights for a just cause," he once said, "I have no desire to participate in a duel that serves no rational purpose." Arrogant fool! It served a very rational purpose.

"Why would you ask such a thing, little goddess?" He responded, pulling on the smiling poker face. "Everything is perfect."

* * *

_**CRACK! BOOM!**_

Unlike other children, he was not scared by the deafening cracks of thunder or the sudden flashes of lightning. He didn't even care as the rain poured down by the bucketful, soaking through his clothes. Ignoring the fact that all trees attracted lightning, the boy walked on. Where was he going?

He didn't even look back once.

After some time, the thunder and lightning finally subsided, but the rain continued to beat down mercilessly. The water droplets turned his hair into a soggy mess, but it did nothing to douse the flames that had ignited in his heart. The anger that no one would accept him simply because of his differences. The disgust at the lengths they would take to avoid him at any cost. The frustration of not being able to retaliate on the children simply because he didn't have the power. One kid he could thrash easily, but a gang-up he could not beat. He'd once took everyone on a full-scale battle with only his hands and feet, but the kids tattled to their fathers, who would come out and beat him. The whole injustice of it all! If only he could have the power to get vengeance!

He hated them.

He** loathed** them.

If only he had more power…

He walked on, barely noticing the transition of the trees from rough barked pillars to smooth, lofty poles of green that danced elegantly despite the rainstorm. Choosing a particularly sturdy-looking one, he sat by it, brooding. It was always like this. Whenever that taunting got too far, he'd escape to the woods. The forest was his friend. It provided a temporary reprieve until he had to return. He'd gladly live in the forest, eating the fruit and running with the foxes, but they wouldn't let him. Why they didn't when abandoning him would be a hell of a lot easier, the boy had no idea. Maybe because they needed someone like him to shove around for their entertainment.

No one loved him. That was a fact he had realized a long time ago, and he faced it now. He just sat there, becoming wetter by the minute, his fury diminishing by a wave of numbness. It was better this way, to just not feel anything…

Thump.

Were they already searching for him? He scrambled to his feet. But he heard nothing more. But it certainly wasn't a figment of his imagination. He had definitely heard the sound, which resembled something heavy falling to the ground. After several seconds passed, he was just about to resume his sitting position again when he heard another. A groan. A grunt of a wounded animal, coming from the direction opposite of the village.

Curiosity settling in, he went off. Perhaps it was an injured wolf. If he could heal the animal, maybe they'd become friends. It'd become his loyal pet. Then they could punish the villagers, and then…then…his wild dreams were shattered as he stumbled across not a wolf, not even an animal, but a human. A man. Stopping in his tracks, he had half a mind to turn back before he realized that this was no ordinary man, let alone a person from the village. He would have recognized the face.

And the odd garment that covered his left arm, a black glove with a strange blue orb that gave off a mysterious light.

He looked back at the man. His eyes were closed and he was covered in cuts and bruises, but his breath came in short wisps of steam, which meant that he was alive.

For some strange reason he could decipher back then, he carried him on his back, half-dragging him to a small cavern that he had stumbled across multiple times on his escapades but didn't go near because a group of foxes used to live there. Peering in, the den was completely deserted. With some effort, he got himself and the man in, laying him on a bed of dry grass. The boy looked at him in a mix of suspicion and wonder; suspicion because no one, not even those in the neighbouring villages dressed in such a way. But he was clearly someone trained in martial arts, with a muscular physique and a strange emblem tattooed at the side. He reached in his pocket; as a frequent participant in streetfights and brawls, he always carried a stash of cloth strips to serve as bandages and wrapped it around the man's wounds as best as he could.

His work was interrupted when the man spluttered, coughed, and opened his eyes. "Wha…?" He looked around, and his eyes fastened on a small boy with startlingly red eyes staring at him intently. "H-hello."

The boy did not respond, continuing to stare at him as if he was looking at a human for the first time.

"I do not remember being in a cave...I was so sure that I would be dead. Did you save me?"

At this, he gave a slight affirmative nod.

The elder gave a wry smile. As his eyesight adjusted to the darkness, he noticed the child's shabby attire, the wary suspicion in those crimson eyes, and the guarded stance he sat, ready to bolt or fight at any moment. A surge of compassion stole into his heart; despite the physical differences, he resembled his...favourite... "Thank you. I am Asin Tairin. What is your name, boy?"

At this, he hesitated, dropping his gaze and studying the ground. After staring at him for a few seconds, Tairin was beginning to think that either the boy could not speak or he had stumbled across a foreign country when a small voice startled him.

"I have no name."

* * *

So? You think this is a story worth continuing? :3


	2. A Fragile Strand Of Wind

_Once again, I made this chapter ridiculously long.  
The quality might have dimmed a bit, sorry._

_But thanks for the reviews! Who knew it'd be so popular? Let me see...wow. "Continue this or I'll annihilate you." LOL!__  
Thanks for everyone who supported/supports/will support me. I hope I don't let anyone down with this._

* * *

"You are getting stronger, Seng (生)."

He stiffened, turned, and bowed. The boy insisted that he had no name; if he did, he had long since abandoned it. So after much thought, Tairin decided to take in the boy as his student, calling him _Seng_, or student. At this proposal, Seng merely shrugged and nodded, but the old mentor saw a hint of a pleased smile.

The boy had potential. But Tairin had a sharp eye; he knew lack of care stunted the mind the way lack of food stunted the body. His constantly guarded stance told Tairin that Seng knew little about friendship and trust, if at all. He listened patiently when taught about the morals a Knight must abide and endured the training with mettle of steel. But it was when Tairin told about the great legacy of the Silver Knights and their tremendous power that Seng really listened. Tairin had to remind himself that this child was not the red-headed boy who accepted everything with a golden heart.

It seemed that his new Seng…relished the idea of power. The fear that he would one day become corrupted by it like Victor unnerved the elder. He learned quickly, but Tairin sometimes thought he saw a peculiar glint in those blood-red eyes, filled with…malice? Satisfaction? Anticipation?

"What am I to learn next, Master?" he asked.

The master sighed, looking down at his armguard. It was the only thing he managed to salvage, a weapon imbibed with extraordinary power unlike anything the Silver Knights. He had kept it even from Victor, a fact that now gave him a bitter sense of relief. The blue light in the core of the armguard pulsed, giving off a mystical light. He looked at the lavender-haired boy, then back at the core. He had meant to bestow it upon Jin, but he'd kept putting it off, telling himself that the child needed more training. Now…now he was dead. Would he make the same mistake with his new student?

"Come, Seng." He beckoned. "Today I am going to teach you how to command the rain."

"Yes, Master." His eyes sparkled.

* * *

Maps are trolls. The locations and the paths look so close together that one would think it'd take a cinch to go from one place to another. But unfortunately, it's not usually that simple. The forest hadn't even shown the slightest sign of thinning and the day was already drawing to a close.

Of course the Xenia Continent had to be suspended in the clouds.

Of course the Fortress of Ascension had to be floating on its own island.

Of course the gods had to bust their airship while they were going through that entire possession craze.

Of course none of the five could fly, with the exception of Rin, and even she couldn't fly for long, given that her wings were for purification rather than actual flight.

Yes, this mission was going to be _fantastic_, Asin could see that.

But none of that seemed to bother the others as they made camp, Jin setting up the tents, Amy getting the water, and Sieghart...not helping. Typical. Asin was still glaring at Jin with piercing eyes under the pretence of gathering wood, and Rin had already started a blazing fire.

"Sir Sieghart, is it so hard to get up and help cook supper, just for today?" Rin carefully asked, knowing full well his answer.

"S'okay, dearie." He yawned, rolling to the side. "Let an old man rest~"

She sighed; the only ones who can actually get Sieghart to do anything was Elesis, Mari, and probably Dio. She did not approve of the gladiator's indolence, but she did not have the audacity to force a warrior centuries older than her to do some menial task. Besides, she learned how to feed herself ever since she fled Gaon and made her way to the Grand Chase. She looked at the team's meagre stash of food, shook her head, and looked back at the forest again. A few mushrooms would definitely help. Perhaps a few herbs, to add flavour. Maybe nuts too, she did see some acorns on the branches...

"There!" Punching the last nail down, he watched with triumph as the last tent flooned up, propped by firm wooden poles. "That ought to last us through the night." Wiping his forehead, he turned to the oracle. "Is the food ready? I'm hungry…"

"Almost, I just have to get it pot boiling." She beamed. "Rin said she knows how to cook, but we don't have much. I think the best we can do is just toss it all in make stew."

"As long as you make it edible." Sieghart gave an inward shudder at the memory of the last time Elesis "cooked" something for the group.

"Hey, Rin! Did you get all the food out?" The food was organized into a neat little pile, but the food sack and the girl was nowhere in sight. "…Where did she go?"

Dumping the armful of wood into the fire, Asin gave an irritated sigh. Leave it to the idiot goddess to imperil herself at every chance she got. Ever since the fiasco at the Forsaken Barrows, Asin was beginning to realise just how much of a danger magnet the girl was. Of course, danger was routine in the life of Grand Chase, and the idiot could (somewhat) handle herself. But still, what was she thinking, going off alone in a forest with toxic frogs and whatever else was lurking in the bushes?

Without a word, he inaudibly bounded off, his eyes searching for a mop of white hair with golden chopsticks.

She liked walking through the forest, listening to the mysterious yet enthralling jungle rhythm as silvery moonlight streamed through the dense foliage. By now the sack was filled with various plants and fungi that would make an adequate meal, much to her delight.

Food wasn't the only reason she'd bounded off into the woods alone. In truth, Rin needed time, alone. Leaning against a tree encased in rough, old bark, she slid down into a sitting position, her smile fading into a troubled expression.

She focused, and a glyph readily appeared before her hand. While maintaining the meditation needed to uphold the glyph, she examined it closely, scrutinizing every detail she could derive from the glowing ball of light. There was no doubt about it; the glyph had altered, its pure blue light having dimmed just a tiny smidgen, but enough for its wielder to notice. And there was a second symbol, slightly darker, flickering behind the 天. It shone unsteadily like a fragile shadow: 惡. The priests of Agnecia had a tough time trying to teach her the mysterious symbols that would appear so often, but they did manage to teach her two signs that she should look out for. The first one (天) meant sky [tiān], which symbolized her heritage as a pure being from the heavens. The second one (惡) was the one sign she had to be wary of. She remembered it well, the sign that was embedded on the back of the chief demon when Gaon Village was devastated.

惡 meant evil [è].

Pure evil.

Evil that had been locked in her heart for countless years.

Evil that taunted her in her weakest moments and nightmares.

Evil that alienated her from everyone, even from the Chase.

Evil that was going to break the seal in a matter of time...

_No!_

"Little Lady." A brusque voice came from above her. Rin scrambled to her feet as the two keepers of the Forest of Life suddenly stood right in front of her. Dark and Furious Storm curtseyed as she attempted to get over the initial shock.

"H-hello."

"There is no time for pleasantries. We bring news…"

"…and a warning." Furious Storm finished. "Our Lady senses the seal within you is deteriorating. It is because you draw near to the Lord of Ascension."

"His corrupted darkness is spreading, affecting all of Aernas." Dark Storm continued. "And it resonates also within your core, where the Ancient Horde resides. It draws strength from the Ascendancy, and it is awakening."

Swallowing the incoming panic, Rin forced the words out in barely above a whisper, "What must I do?"

"All is not lost yet, Lady." Softer of the two, Furious laid a gentle hand on the Phoenix. "Our Lady Gaia has sent us to tell you that there is a possible cure for your predicament."

Her eyes sparkled back to life. "How? Please, tell me!"

"In your core lies the Horde of Darkness, but it is not alone." Dark pointed to her chest. "Within you also lies the essence of light, the being of Purity."

"I…I don't understand."

"Indeed, it is difficult to understand. When the Goddess Agnesia absorbed the Horde into her divine self, she also sealed a portion of her soul with it to preserve the balance. You may be the current reincarnation of the Forgotten Goddess, but the divine spirit of the great Agnesia herself sleeps within you as well as the Malevolent Horde."

"To save the crumbling seal and the world the goddesses strived to protect, you must awaken the goddess before the Horde is unsealed." Dark finished. "Once you harness her powers, you will become an even greater Phoenix of the Light."

"Thank you." Rin managed, feeling relieved; so there was still hope. "Wait! How do I awaken the goddess?"

"Alas, that is the one question we cannot answer: even the Lady Gaia herself does not know."

"Then…then…how am I supposed to…"

"You are the re-embodiment of the holy deity; the answer lies within you. A time will come when you will choose. Remember, everything hangs on your decision." With that, the two began to rise from the ground, the winds blowing around them.

"But beware!" Dark warned. "With each step you take, the Horde strains more against the seal. Do not listen to it! Do not trust what it says, no matter how—" She said something else, but the howling wind made it impossible to hear, and the two guardians disappeared with an almighty gust of wind, leaving Rin even more distraught than before.

Looking up, the moon has risen high, telling her how late she was. She also realized another thing.

She was lost.

But that didn't bother her as much as the conversation with the Storm guardians. She simply unfurled her fan, raised it in the air, and whispered, "Guide me." A breeze ruffled her hair as the winds came to her aid, laughing as it tickled her face, lifting her so that she rode a current of unseen air. The wind always obeyed her even as a child, one of the few things she enjoyed about being a goddess. The wind spirits frolicked around her as they blew her back towards camp.

As she flew through the leaves, she signalled for the wind spirits to stop; she thought she could hear someone calling her name. But she was still some distance away from the camp, so who…? Curiosity morphed into recognition, then annoyance as she found out who it was.

"Idiot goddess! Fatty! Shout if you can hear me!" he was saying.

She was _not_ fat. Landing on the ground without a sound, she approached aimed a cuff for the boy, an attack Asin dodged easily, a sly grin curling on his face. "So you actually responded to that, eh…? Seems the name grew on you."

"Shut up!" Rin huffed angrily. "Did you come out here just to annoy me?"

"I wish." He sighed. "You'd probably end up getting killed if you went off alone again. It's part of you charm."

"Is not!"

"Does the word 'cemetery' ring a bell?"

It seemed like his sole purpose in life was to infuriate the poor girl. She turned and whipped out her fan, summoning the winds to lift her again. She turned to Asin with a sly smile as an idea popped into her head. "Want a ride?"

* * *

"Asin, I didn't know you could get motion sickness." Rin exclaimed in innocent surprise.

He had to hang onto Rin as they flew back towards camp. "Just…tell me when it's over…"

"Oh, we're here!" She called, landing onto the ground with her food sack. Without Rin to guide the winds, Asin unceremoniously landed onto the earth on his posterior in a muddled heap. He got up, muttering darkly.

"Rin! Where have you been?" Amy called out, looking worried.

"Hee…just getting more food." Abashed, the girl scratched her head, shyly showing the brimming sack. "Didn't think it would take that long, sorry…"

As the rest gaped over their new cache of food, a lavender-haired body turned away and disappeared quietly behind the tents, seemingly unnoticed by anyone.

* * *

He had told Master he would be back by sunset. To keep his word, he had better hurry.

It wasn't that he hated his new name. By all standards he preferred being called 'Student' than 'Abandoned Child'. But he knew that it wasn't a real name; it was just who he was, a student of the Master. Not that it was a bad thing, but…

The village hadn't changed much, apparently. Still the same huts and presumably still the same rotten people. Had he remained the passive, weak child he had been all those years before, he would have avoided this village and denied any relationship he had with its inhabitants. But he had returned, with vengeance. He laughed silently to himself, giddy with anticipation.

He stepped into the hamlet, ignoring the gasps and wide-eyed stares he got as more and more people recognized him. He heard whispers of "Juwonai? But the elders pronounced him dead!", "Ugh, why has that eyesore come back?" and "Someone call the chief!"

Funny thing was, they always blamed him for whatever mayhem in the village, penned him as the troublemaker. But he never needed to look for trouble; trouble always found _him_. That hadn't changed even now, as he saw the group of those hateful boys approach him with the same twisted grins. He kept his face straight, resisted the urge to laugh; they were in for a big surprise.

"Why'd you come back, _dog?_" The chief's son sneered. "You should have stayed in the wild, where you belong."

"You are more the dog, whelp." Seng shot back. "All bark and no bite. And," he sniffed the air, wrinkled his nose in disgust. "You smell like one, too."

"Watch your mouth!" The pudgy face turned red as a few of his cronies snickered at the comment. "I'll crush you to the ground!"

This was what he had been waiting for. He took a step back, beckoning provokingly. "Bring it."

His master had yet to bequeath him the armguard, but even without it, Asin had enough power to vanquish his enemies, swatting them like mosquitoes. His heart was filled with vengeful satisfaction as red spurted onto his clothes, laughed as he swung his foot, the crunching of bone music to his ears. Yes, this was the power he had so craved for. And it was his. His! He glided past two boys, their bodies collapsing onto a third boy. This time, when he saw the fathers come, he did not hesitate or run away. When a crowd gathered, he did not falter. He wanted them to see, to see what they deserved. The fathers could never land a hit on the red-eyed boy; he slithered past them, laughing as they missed and hit their own sons instead. He—

"STOP!"

Seng initially felt compelled to ignore the cry, but his senses told him who the voice belonged to. He felt his muscles freeze, allowing one man to strike him on the shoulder. But the pain barely registered as he saw Master part the crowd, coming onto the scene. His eyes held a rare anger, slits of scalding fury.

"What—" he said in a deadly voice, "Is—the—meaning—of—this?"

The boy cowered, he was in so much trouble now.

"All of you, ganging up on a child!" It was not his student he was mad at, but the villagers. Tairin knew that there was a dark history with the child, but this…! "So this is why he seeks power…it is only natural after…you dare!" To Seng, "Are you all right?"

He nodded, barely able to understand what was happening. He looked down at the bruised, bloody, moaning children, then back at his Master. The mentor was dispersing the crowd, talking to the elders and men in an angry voice. They were responding with equal fervour, but something about them seemed…subdued? Ashamed? Finally the men nodded, and went to pick up their battered offspring. Asin skipped out of the way, but no blow or harsh words came for his deed. One of them, the father of the boy whose bone he shattered, glared daggers at him.

He grinned back.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, but immediately calmed when he recognized his master. His master had a grim expression, but he only said to his disciple, "We are going now."

"Where to, Master?"

"Anywhere but here." He studied the boy with an unfathomable expression. "We are never going to see this village again."

It was probably the best day in Seng's life.

* * *

_I focused too much on Asin/Seng, didn't I? Hahaha  
Rest assured, I will focus on Rin next chapter. Sorry for being dead for three months and all ^_^"_

_...It's not too bad, is it, Yamikawa?_


End file.
